Machine for winding the cores of golf-balls.



PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906.

M. MoDAID. MACHINE FOR WINDING THE GORES 0F GOLF BALLS.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 2.1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

In man waywam v No. 838,202.

PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906.

M .--M DAID. MACHINE-FOR WINDING THE CORES 0F GOLF BALLS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2.1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' .Zhzentor" m flwazzz Z y I Wis flltorrty PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906.

M. MoDAID. MACHINE FOR WINDING THE GORBS 0F GOLF BALLS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2.1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

v 'tne'sses."

I Jlaxtz'n W No. 838,202. PATENTBD DEG. 11, 1906.

M. MoDAID,

MACHINE FOR WINDING THE GORES OF GOLF BALLS.

APPLICATION PILED MAY 2.1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

assumes the desired size, whereupon Unrrnn s'rA'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN MGDAID, 0F EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND. MACHINE F OR WINDING T HE QORES.O F GOLF-BALLS.

No. asaeoa.

Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented Dec. 11 1906- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN MCDAID, olf-club maker, a subject of the King of reat Britain, and a resident of Easter Road, Edinburgh, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Winding the Cores of Golf-Balls, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for. winding the cores of golf-balls, and relates more especially to the makingof golf-balls provided with a central core or ody forming a nucleus between which and an outer case is wound a uantityof suitable resilient material adapte il to impart to the balla rebounding action when driven.

The intermediate resilient material generally consists of a continuous length of rubber thread, rubber tape, or like material, which is wound about the core until the ball the outer covering is secured in place. The winding operation is usually attended by many difhculties, the principal one being that of uniformly and constantly turning the core so that the thread is so equally distributed as to form a true sphere.

In winding golf-balls by hand the opera tion is not only difficult, but is tedious and expensive, inasmuch as the tape or thread is usually of a very small size or gage. The core therefore requires a comparatively large quantity of the tape or thread before it assumes the required size.

It is the object of my invention to provide a machine for effectin the winding of the intermediate stratum 0 {material on the core, which machine distributes the tape or thread under tension, so as to. secure a compact structure of a prescribed size and of an accurate spherical formation. T o this'end I de-, sirably mount the core-body between rotating heads provided with core-engaging members or disks operating. in angular planes.

Thus the core-body of the ball is not only rotated about an intermittently-changing axis, but is also rotated continuously about a single fixed axis, which in the preferred construction is the axis ofrotation of said heads.

My invention will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. v s

In the drawings, Figure 1' is the front elevation of a machine embodying the main features of my invention. Fig. 2 is the plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

' rotate the same about different axes.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof. Fig. 4' is a detached view of one of the rotating heads between which the eore-body is rotated. Fig.

1 5 is a view of the same 1n a changed position.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of one of said'headsl Fig. 7 illustrates diagrammatically three different views of the core-engagingmembers of the rotating'heads. Fig. 8 is a detailed sectional view on line 8 8"of Fig. 2. Fig.9 is a sectional viewv taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 2. ig. 10 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a sectional View similar to that shown in'Fig. 9, showing the-parts in a differently-adjusted position. Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a clutch member on line 12 12 of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a detailed view of an automatic cutting device for the thread. Fig. 14 is a side elevationof the part shown on Fig. 13.

Like characters of, reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawings. My invention consists (generally of a pair of rotatively-mounted hea s adapted to operate in alinement and about a fixed axis. Both of said heads are longitudinally movable and are held yieldingly in contact with the core when the same is being wound. Both of the heads are also provided with pairs of positively-driven core-actuating members, which directly engage the core-body and serve to The core-engaging members are rotatively mounted in the rotating heads and preferably comprise alined pairs of disks, each head preferably having two alined pairs operating in angular planes. The said heads are positively driven by gear connection in order to maintain a prescribed alinement between given pairs of disks of each head, so that the corebody during the process of winding the thread thereon willbedriven as near as possible through aprescribed course, thereby 'more generally effecting a uniform distribution of the winding material. Thus in the operation of winding the core two pairs of disks of each head will simultaneously engage the core and turn it in a given direction, whereupon engagement will be released and the core will be engaged by other two'pairs of disksoperating in planes angular to the firstmentioned pair, so as to revolve it in another direction. The core will therefore be bodily rotated about a fixed axis coinciding with the axis of rotation of the heads, also about a second axis at right angles thereto caused by engagement therewith of pairs of core-elk has assumed the desired size the winding material will be automatically severed and the machine stopped.

Now referring more specifically to the construction of the machine-showmthe same is Said sha mounted inbearing-standards n n.

provided with a base a, supported by the legs I). A main and constantly-driven shaft d is shown journaled in bearings c and is provided on its outer end'with fastand loose belt-pulle s f or a hand operating-crank e. carries between its bearings a ear-pinion g, meshing with a pinion h.

haft t is journaled in bearin s jand is disposed in parallel relation wit the shaft d. Means are provided whereby the shaft '1' may be thrown into and out of gear with the constantly-driven shaft (1, which means in the preferred construction consists of a frictional clutch D. Said clutch is provided with a member E, rotatively mounted on the shaft,

and a companion member F, slidablyand non-rotatively mounted on said shaft by means of a groove-and-feather connection H and I. Said member E carries on its, outer end the pinion h and is held in position by means of the featherI and a shoulder h. Said shaft '1' also carries pinions k k, which mesh with pinions l l, and thereby impart rotary motion to heads 9 g. Between the pinion 7c and the clutch member F is inter posed an expansively-acting spring J, which serves to hold the clutch members F and E in engagement, thereby normally effecting.

constant rotation. of the gearing just described; Means are provided whereby the machine may be automatically stopped, as before stated, either when the thread breaks or when the ball has assumed the desired size, which means operates directly upon a cam-surface F of the clutch member F, theoperation of which will be fully described.

Next describin the construction of the core engaging an rotating mechanism, the same, as shown, consists of rotating heads g g, which are formed integral with sleeves m m,- which arein turn journaled upon alined spindles w w. Said sleeves m m desirably carry the pinions Z' Z and'are rotativelgi Sai hereinafter more pinions Z lare non-rotativelyand slidable mounted upon the sleeves m m by a featherand-groove connection p and 0, (Shown in size.

m m of the heads 9 q are longitudinally movable in the bearings 12, n and are slidably connected with the gears Z Z, the slidable connection permitting longitudinal movement of said heads with respect to said gears.- The longitudinal movement of the heads toward and away from each other not only permits the insertion and removal of the finished and unfinished cores, but also permits the heads to separate while the winding operation is being carried on and as the core enlarges in In order to effect operative engagement at all times between the heads and the finished or partially-finished core-body, permitting the same to be inserted and removed and also effecting a yielding engagement whereby as the core-body enlarges the heads are permitted to'separate, I provide the following mechanism: Said'shafts w 'w are pivr with a horizontal link It, the latter being.

connected at r to lever 1'. Said lever r is pivoted atr to a rigid projection extending outwardly from the bearing n. It will be noted that the pivotal engagement of the lever 8 is above the axis of the shafts 'w w, while the pivotal connection r is below the same. Therefore when the operator as 's the upper end of the lever 1' and Ipul s t e same outwardly in the direction of the arrow X it will cause 'an outward movement of both the heads 9, whereas when the lever 7"- travels inwardll movement of the. heads will be effected. In order to normally hold the heads g g in an inward position, I provide a bell-cranklever pivoted to the frame a at a, one of the arms a being connected to a weight '0, the other arm having slotted connection with a trunnion t on' the link t. Thus by reference to 1 it will be seen that the weight q normally tends to move the link If toward the left of the machine, thereby serving to bring the heads g 9 together. I

Next describing the construction of the heats g g and the oisks thereof, which directly engage'the core, the same consists of the following parts, reference. being had to:

Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7: Each of said heads is provided with alined pairs of core-engaging y a correspondingly inward w (shown in dotted lines in Fig. and by a 7. The disks 1 2 and 3 4, as shown,'-are procumferential length of the disk, the other constitute means whereby alternate engageate and engage the core with disks 3 and 4 of Said disk 4 of each head is mounted on a gearthat they continuously rotate throughout 'ously rotate the same in varying directions, I "preferably provide each of the" isks with an disks 1 2 and 3 4, respectively, as shown in 1 Figs. 6 and 7. Each pair of disks 1 2 comprises two distinct disks located closely adjacent and in o erating alinement, While the disks 3 4 are a so adjacent and arranged in operating alinement, one disk (designated by 4) constituting the driving member of the group and having a gear w, which, as shown in Fig. 4, meshes with a worm-gear 'w Said worm-gear w in turn meshes with a worm w formed on the inner end of a shaft w, the said worm w being held in a longitudinallyfixed position in the heads by means of pins reduction of the shaft to at the outer end of said worm, which engages'a shoulder formed in the sleeve m. By means of this construction when the sleeves m m are rotated on their spindles the worm-gears w of the heads, rotating bodily about the worms w effect r0- tation of the disk 4 and the remaining 0 isks 1,2, and 3 of each head in the following manner:

spindle Q05, Fig. 6, which carries between its ends a beveled gear y and at its outer eni asecond beveled gear y. The core-engaging disk 2 is mounted on a spindle y carrying a beveled gear y which meshes with Wheel y, also mounted on spindle w The disks 1 are mounted on a spindle g carrying'a beveled gear y which meshes with gear y, and a second gear 3 meshing with gear 3 the latter being mounted on spindle y, carrying disks 3. From the foregoin it will be obvious that the several pairs 0 core-engaging disks are continuously and positively (:llVGIl in unison from the driving worm-gear 20 an i the operation of winding the core. In order to effect alternate engagement of pairs of disks with the core, and thereby simultaneen aging and non-engaging'periphery, which wi 1 be more clearly seen by reference to Fig.

vided with knurled or roughened peripheries 6 6, extend ing throughout one half of the cirhalves of said disks bein provided wit": radially-reduced preiphera portions 5 5, which'are unprovided with knurled or rough.- ened edges and which, because of their decreased diameter, do not en age the core during one-half of their revolution. Said reduced and increased portions of the disks ment between the core and pairs of disks is automatically effected.

- I preferably set the heads, so that the alined disks 1 and 2 of onehead will cooperthe oppositehead. By thus arrangin the heads the narrow disks 1 2 of the one ead are opposite to the broad disks 3 4 of the other head, and the core is thereby prevented from shifting out of position during the winding operation.

I will now refer to the mechanism whereby ings in brackets C. Any suitable form of breaking or retarding means may be provided to prevent the drum from unwinding too rapidly. The thread ac is trained upwardly from the drum A over one of pulleys M When the operator starts the winding operation of a core, he will draw the thread over the pulley 1W through the aperture N inthe cutter N and will wind a few turns of the thread about the core. then be inserted in ppsition between the heads (1 (1. by separating the same through the medium of. the lever 1". When the core has been inserted, the lever 1" will be released and the weight 12 will automatically bring the heads together, so that the core-actuating disks impinge onthe body of the core and hold the same in'position. 'By reference to Figs.

9 and 10 it will be seen that the machine is The core will a cam-knuckle K, pivoted at K and adapted to project into the path of and engage'the cam-surface F, formed on clutch member F. Downward movement of the outer end The of the lever M is limited by stop M parts in Figs. 9 and 10 are shown in a honoperating osition, or, in other words, in a position w ch'the parts would assume when the thread at is broken orwhenthe core-has assumed desired size and the machine is automatically thrown out of gear. In Fig. 11 the parts are shown in an operating position. In

i the lever M serves to provide the desired tension for the thread and is sufficiently heavy to secure a relatively tight winding without breaking the, thread. Said lever exerts a continuous and uniform tension, and should the thread at any point he imperfect or weak it would immediately besevered. Therefore it will be seen .that by my improved device winding material below a prescribed quality can easily be detected.

Next describing the operation whereby the thread is severed when the core has reached Having shown and described this'particular construction, what I desire to secure by the desired size, reference being had especially Letters Patent isto Fig. 11, it will be seen that there is shown in' dotted lines a core when first inserted, and the winding or thread (indicated by dotted lines} passing to said core, as shown, is out of contact with the knife-edge N of the part N. The aperture N permits the thread to vary its position freely without bringing 1t into contact with the knife-edges until it has reached a size, for example, such asis shown by full lines in Fig. 11. At this point it will be seen that the thread in reaching the core is forced downwardly or upwardly into engagement with theknife-edge N and as the thread passes over the same it will be cut in two. When the cord or thread is cut, the lever M will drop, forcing the cam-knuckle K in a rearward position, as shown in Fig. 9, and into the path of the cam F. By reference to Fig. it will be seen that the camknuckle K having no lateral movement engage the cam F and force the clutchmemmember E, thereby permitting the member E to rotate freely on the shaft '5 and stop the machine. This operation will also take place when the thread breaks because of any weakness in the material of which it is formed. The standard N, in which the aperture N I andknife-edges N are formed, as herein shown, is secured to one of the lateral members K ing mechanisms maybe increased in number, and more than one core-ball at a time may be wound on a single machine and that a plurality of winding mechanisms could be operated by the continuously-driven shaft (1. The machine is designed .to quickly and efiectively wind the cores of golf-balls or balls of like construction and is so constructed stage inspected. T e parts are so arranged that in cases of repair they areeasily accessible and easily removed, while the automatic cut-out insures the production of balls having intermediate win ings composed .of

5 prescribed-grade material.

' obvious that the automatic stop mechanism not only insures a definite size for all of the cores, but it permits the operation of alarge number of machines by a single operator, it being understood that where two or more cores are finished the machine is vautomat ically stopped to await the" insertion of new. cores. 1 a 7 While I have herein'sh'own and described be understood made therefrom without de spirit of the invention, and wish to be limited to. the precise form shown;

artmg from' the may revolve the core in her F out of theengagement with the clutch 1 heads and means for actuatin rollers so that they may revo ve the core in 95 It will be obvious .that, if desired, the windthat the winding operation may be at any heads on each head andmechanism for rivingktwo OfyI-l 5 It will also be.

therollers in one direction and the ot a specific embodiment of my invention, it will that changes may be; readily 1 therefore do not 1'. In a machine forv winding rubber thread or tape for forming the'cores of golf-balls, 7o mechanism which imparts to the core motion in three directions, namely, a rotary motion about a longitudinal aiis and also rotary rnotlons about axes at an angle to one another and to said longitudinal axis so as to wind the tape or thread evenly all round 'the core as it grows in'size.

2. A machine for winding rubber thread or tape for forming the cores of golf-balls comprising, in combination, horizontally arranged rotating shafts, means for rotating the shafts, gripping-rollers on the shafts for gripping and holding the core, and means for actuating the gripping-rollers so that they different directions while it is being rotated by the shafts.

3. A machine for winding rubber thread or 1 tape for forming the cores of golf-balls com- PIlSlllg, in combination, two rotating shafts arranged in line and capable of a longitudio nal movement, means for rotatingthe shafts, means for moving the shafts lon itudinally, heads on the shafts, gripping-ro lers in the the grippingdifferent directions while it is beingrotated by the shafts.

4.- A machine for winding rubber thread or tape for forming the cores of golfballs comprising, in combination, two hollow rotating w shafts arranged in line, spindles with worms at the ends arranged within the shafts, means for moving the spindles longitudinal, means for rotating the shafts, heads on the shafts, grippingerollers in the heads, and means for driving the rollers in different directions independent of the'rotary motion im arted to them by the shafts, substantia ly as described. v 5 A machine for winding rubber thread or r 10 tape for forming) the cores of golf-balls comin com ination, rotating shafts arrange in line, means for rotating the shafts, the shafts, four grip ing-rollers, in

er two in another direct on, substantially. as def scribed.

6. A machine for rubber thread or, 7 I Y I tape for formin the cores of golf-balls com 1 2c prisin ,-1n com ination, rptating shafts a in line, means fo'rrctating the shafts,

on the shafts,- four jgripping rollers in each head the rollers being set at right an les to one another and :mechanism for driv-f I 25 111 two of the rollers in one direction and the 0t er two in another direction, substantially 7. A machine for rubber thread or tape forforming the cores of golf-balls com- [3 prisin in combination, rotating shafts arrange in line, meansforrotating the shafts, heads on the shafts, four gripping-rollers in each head, each roller" having a projecting roughened surface or edge. which extends partially round the circumference, and mechanism for driving the rollers, substantially as described.

8. A machine for Winding rubber thread or tape for forming the .cores of golf-balls comprising, in combinatiomtwo hollow rotating shafts arranged in hne, spindles having worms at the one end arranged within the shafts,

. means forrotating the shafts, heads on the shafts, four gripping rollers arranged at' right angles to one another in each head, bevel-gears for driving the rollers in different directions, worm-wheels for driving the bevelgears, said worm-wheels earing with the worms on the end of the a oresaid spindles, substantially as described.

9. A machine for winding rubber thread or tape for formin the cores of golf-balls comand means wher prising, in com ination, rotating shafts arranged in line, means for rotating the shafts,

heads on the shafts, gripping-rollers in each head, means for driving the rollers in differwhen the thread or tape ent directions, a gpide for the thread or tape breaks the mechanism for. rotating the shafts is thrown out of gear, substantially as de-- scribed.

10. A machine for winding rubber thread or tape for forming the cores of golf-balls comprising, in combination, rotating shafts arranged in line, means for rotating the shafts, a clutch having a camface, a pivoted camlever, a link, a ivoted thread or tape guide,

heads. on the s afts, gripping-rollers in the heads, and means for revolving the grippin rollers in different directions, substantialIy as described. i

.11. In a ball-winding machine, the com. bination of a pair of heads adapted to engage a ball between them, mechanism for rotating said heads in the same direction to wind up the ball, and other mechanism for moving the engaging face ofone head relative to the other to turn the ball to b difierent diam- 12. In a ball-win machine, in combif nation, a pair of heads acing each other and anism for rotating said heads in the same direction at the same speed, and mechanism for moving the engaging faces of said heads in opposite directions.

'13. In a ball-windin machine, in combination a pair of heads acing each other and ada ted to engage a ball between them, mec anism for rotating said heads in the same direction, and other mechanism for shifting the engaging facesof said heads in two directions to turn the ball about two axes other than the axis of the rotating heads.

14. In a ball-winding machine, in combination, a pair of heads facing each other, mechanism for rotating the same, each head presenting-opposite the other a air of rolls,

etween which four rolls the bal is rasped, and mechanism for turning said ro ls upon their axes during the rotation of the head, the two rolls in each head turning in the same direction, and each pair turning to move their opposed faces oppositely.

nation offa pair of rotatable heads, a pair of rolls constituting the en aging face of each head, a inion on each head, gearing connecting t e same with rolls, and a stationary gear causing the individual rotation of said pinion when the head rotates.

lnation of a driving-shaft, a head secured thereto, a stationary gear, a pinion carried by the head adapted to mesh with said gear, a member carried by the head and adapted to engage the ball, and a connection between the same and said pinion whereby the rotation of the pinion moves such member.

17. In a ball-winding machine, a pair of heads facing each other and adapted to grasp a ball between them, mechanism for rotating said heads, and mechanism part1 on a head and partly on a member with re erence to which it rotates for shiftin the engagin faces of such head during t e rotationt ereof.

Signed at Edinburgh, Scotland, this 19th day of April, 1904.

MARTIN MoDAID. [L. s.] Witnesses:

Romin'r F. Sco'r'r, FREDERICK Pm'rr.

15. In a ball-winding machine, the combiadapted to engage'a ball between them, mech- 16. In a ball-winding machine, the combi- 

